Dear Friends,
Since it has been nearly a month since many last update, I thought I would write a quick note and let you know where things currently stand. On the 15th of April, I had scans and blood work done, and the results were not as encouraging as we had hoped. There has been a little growth in the pancreatic tumor and my lungs showed a few nodules which they plan to continue monitoring. And unfortunately, my CA 19-9 numbers jumped back up into the 4000’s range where they were months ago. The encouraging news was that my liver lesions are stable. According to the doctors, this is the most important of the effected areas. So we are praising God that my liver was stable.
Al and I may decide to take a quick trip to the beach, but my next blood work is scheduled for around the end of the month. Please continue to lift me up to the Father for healing and strength in the days to come. You cannot imagine how much your prayers have meant to our family.
I hope every one of you and your families have a wonderful Resurrection weekend.
Love,
Nancy
Author: Nancy
Scan Update
Dear Friends,
Again, I thank you for your continuous prayers for me. This past week was my week for blood work and scans, as well as the doctor’s visit to discuss the results. To God be the glory, my scan results were unchanged from the last scan which was 5 weeks ago. Therefore, my cancer is currently not spreading and I am considered “stable.” We plan to continue with bloodwork every 2 weeks and scans every 4 weeks. This is so that we can make sure that the cancer does not suddenly take off and start growing unexpectedly.
We have such peace as we watch God work through His plan for my life. We are still amazed at the number of people who have encouraged us that they are praying daily for healing. Our lives are in God’s hands, but He has given us all the privilege of coming before His throne with our requests. What a God we serve!
Al and I want to thank all of you for everything you have done to demonstrate the love of God through your acts of service and gentle words of hope. We love you so much and we love our God who has brought you into our journey.
Thank you,
Nancy
A Thank You Update
Dear Prayer Warriors,
I want to give you a quick update on how things are going. Al and I stand amazed at our God, as we have seen Him raise up countless people to pray on my behalf. Those many prayers have lifted me up when I was too weak and tired to pray for myself.
If you recall, my CA 19-9 level (the primary marker for pancreatic cancer) was roughly 4100 before we left for MD Anderson. The next blood test after our return home showed that the CA 19-9 had dropped to 2856, which is a 30% drop. Just this week, another test indicated that the level had dropped even further to 1953, another 30%! We praise God for allowing us to have this encouraging news. My prayer has been to feel well enough to enjoy my family, friends and whatever ministry God has for me. I can tell you that in these last 2 weeks, I have felt much stronger and more like my old self. They have been the best 2 weeks since my cancer diagnosis and I am grateful for that.
In these coming days, please pray for my next CT scan, which is scheduled for the 18th of March. We are hopeful that the tumor will at least be stable, if not shrinking, given the encouraging news from my blood tests. I would also ask that you please pray for relief, as I am still having some pain in the abdominal area. We continue to be so grateful for all of your prayers and support.
Nancy
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” – Romans 15:13
Post MD Anderson
My Dear Friends,
Al and I are back from MD Anderson. We had more tests and blood work and then we met with the doctor. My scans had not changed much nor had my bloodwork. I am so thankful the cancer had not spread. Unfortunately, even MD Anderson did not have a drug, even one in a trial phase, that was far enough along to treat my specific cancer. I never realized how many different types of cancers there can be within one specific organ such as the pancreas. So the news was not what we had hoped for, but let us remember that it is Almighty God who will determine my days.
There is a story about David and Bathsheba in 1 Samuel 12 that teaches me how to pray. David had had an affair with Bathsheba, Uriah’s wife, which resulted in a pregnancy. Nathan, the prophet, reminded David of his sin and David humbly repented in brokenness before God and God forgave him. However, the consequence would be that the baby would die. David prayed for days and did not eat or drink, but continuously cried out to God to let the baby live. His servants were even worried about his mental and physical state. After the baby died, David got up, washed himself and ate, and went to the temple to worship God. His men were amazed at how well he responded to the death of the child. What I see in David’s prayers and response is a complete yielding to God’s will, as well as an intimate understanding that God was so merciful that he might spare the baby. David knew the character of God was so good and I’m sure he had already experienced God’s mercy in his own life.
Please pray for me, knowing as David did, that God can heal me at any time He chooses. Until I am in His presence in Heaven, I shall pray for His divine healing and the strength to still do His will. Thank you, dear friends, for your faithful prayers for me.
“Nothing is impossible with God.” – Luke 1:37
Nancy
An Update before MD Anderson
My dear friends,
I am sorry for getting this update out so slowly. The last two weeks were busy ones. On Monday the 27th, Al and I spoke with my oncologist about stopping the chemo until we go to MD Anderson and he was fine with that decision. We head out there on Monday the 10th to get testing and discuss their recommendations for treatment. I must say that with every week I’ve been off the chemo, I have felt more like myself both mentally and physically. The chemo I was on was strong and my body just had a lot of issues with it. It seemed I could never completely recover from one treatment until it was time for the next one to begin. The last few weeks have seen warmer temperatures and sunny days. Feeling better and being able to enjoy the outdoors makes me feel so renewed. You just can’t beat what God creates.
On January 30th, the doctor called and said my potassium levels were critically low, so they set me up for an IV the next day (4 hours). The Saturday after the treatment I did not feel well, but on Sunday morning I woke up much better. It was a beautiful day and I was able to go outside and enjoy the fresh air and sunshine. This past week I have continued to feel better every day. So now I’m looking forward to the week ahead and our trip to MD Anderson. Amazing what a few good days of feeling well can do for you physically and mentally.
Please pray for wisdom from God on what to do. I am assuming there may be multiple options. Also please pray for physical strength and a sharper mind. Al and I will need to absorb what we hear and to process it. Finally, please pray for God’s perfect peace as we make the decision on which course of action to take and may He be glorified in whatever we do. I can’t say it enough, but thank you for the love, care, and many prayers lifted up to God for us (and the delicious meals 🙂
Nancy
Psalm 32:8
Scan Update
Yesterday I had my scan, and it appears that nothing has changed. This could mean that the chemo has slowed the growth of the cancer; plus, the scan was done of a larger area which did not show any new cancer. For these things we thank God, and thank all of you for praying.
After my last update with the good news of no nausea and more energy, I had a new development which can sometimes happen with chemo. I got thrush in my mouth at first and then down my esophagus making it incredibly hard to swallow. Everyone is trying to get me to eat and drink so that I won’t get dehydrated and will regain some strength, but it has been almost impossible. Fortunately, I have been able to get some new medication for the thrush and it is beginning to clear up.
Please keep praying that God will give us wisdom for each step of this process. Our first visit with MD Anderson is on Feb. 10th. Also, pray that I will keep trusting God with each new development that comes my way.
Thank you for your faithful prayers. We love all of you!
Update from 3rd Chemo Treatment
Thank you, thank you, thank you for praying for me as I faced this latest chemo treatment on Monday! I have not had one drop of nausea and I even have felt a little more energy. This is BY FAR the best I have done yet. I know so many of you have been praying and the results have been amazing.
Now I would ask that you please pray as tomorrow I have to go get an injection to increase my white blood cell count which is very low due to the chemo. You can also be praying for my upcoming CT scan on Monday morning. They will be scanning from my knees to the top of my neck to see how my pancreas and liver are responding to the chemo treatments as well as determining if it is affecting the surrounding areas. All of this will give us more information to make decisions going forward. Pray for God to give us wisdom each step of the way. What joy and comfort we are experiencing as a result of your love and prayers. May God bless you greatly for caring for us.
A Quick Update
For all the prayer warriors, my chemotherapy on Dec. 30th was free of nausea thanks to all of your fervent prayers. There are plenty of other strange side effects to chemotherapy, but by far the worst in my mind, is nausea.
On Monday, Jan. 13th, I will be going back for my 3rd round of chemo. Pray that we will discover soon whether this chemo is working. It is certainly not something that I want to continue if it is not doing what we had hoped. We were also told that I will be getting a PET scan sometime this month. Pray that the cancer will be contained. I have good days and bad….please pray that my spirit would stay strong.
Ultimately, I do know that my Heavenly Father, Almighty God, is holding me in His arms and will take care of me to the end.
Love you all,
Nancy
The Journey Continues
Good afternoon my dear friends,
Time for an update since Monday starts round 2 of chemo. To catch you up, the first week of chemo for me was like the lost week. Most of it was a blur, with much of it feeling surreal. The second week, praise the Lord, has been much better and I am learning what works and doesn’t work to help me. Of course, this can change on a dime too. I can begin a glass of water with it tasting fine, and half way through, it begins to get more and more bitter. They warned me that my hormones could get messed up which is quite a shock at 70 🙂 I feel like I am in my first trimester of pregnancy trying to figure out what I think sounds good to eat.
Al has been a jewel as he has become my primary nurse. He never complains and is ready to do whatever it takes to get me over the goal line. One could never have a more selfless teammate in the game. He reminds me of a linemen on the football team who sacrifices his body to give his running back a lane to run through. The only time his name is called is when he is penalized! I love those guys! They keep at it!
Christmas Eve and Christmas Day our family kept everything as normal as ever as we went between our daughter’s house and ours. I was not in tip top shape, but God gave me the strength to enjoy and savor every last second with all of them. Everyone got their picture made with me while I still have hair (I insisted :). I think we all hugged a little longer and lingered together in conversation as all that matters was in clear focus before us. It was a treasure. For this, I praise the sweetness of Jesus.
Today is Saturday, the 28th of December, and as I am writing this it is my birthday. I have always hated having a birthday at Christmas as it seems so anticlimatic. Who cares? Everyone pushes through and acts like they can’t wait to see me again. So we will gather here for lunch which I picked out…chicken pot pie and jello! What a combination! They are lucky we are not having dill pickles for cake!
This birthday is especially notable….I turn 70. 70 is not 50 or 60. It is 70! It changes your perspective on so many things. For example, Al and I just built a new home 2 years ago, and I had to convince the roofer then that I was not interested in a 30 year guarantee. I said it would probably be 15 years at best before I moved into a senior living facility. Actually, it was somewhat freeing to realize that I was not so entangled with my earthly things.
This brings me to my point. As I begin the next round of chemo, I realize everyone will have an opinion of what I should do, or think, or where I should go for more help, etc. Usually I am so flexible and yield easily to anyone’s good opinion. I have found through this experience that I do have a voice. The voice I believe God is leading me to follow….His (and of course Al’s). My heart is surrendered to allow God to help me embrace what He has for me in this next stage of life no matter what. One thing I know, I want to be near my family and loved ones as much as possible. I do not want to run around wearing myself out in order to get more years, only to realize I flittered away the ones I had left. As strength allows, I want to be there for my grandchildren’s programs and athletics. To that end, I want to diligently seek strength and energy for this.
Mental and spiritual strength also are necessary for this journey. They need to be equally nourished. Many of you have already been nourishing me as you have sent me the kindest words of love and hope. And I also know there are many of you who are “praying without ceasing” for me. You are my linemen; the unsung heros who make a way for me to run. Do not underestimate your value!!
The verse in Hebrews that God gave me before the journey began was in Hebrews 12:2 where I had been teaching the months before. It says, “Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him, endured the suffering, despising the shame, etc.” . The final section of Hebrews 12:2 says, “For the joy that was set before Him.”
What was that? When Jesus quit looking at the pain and suffering that was going to come at the cross, He faced it by looking at what God was going to accomplish through His pain and suffering. What was that? He would be able to bring all of us, who by faith would accept His offer, into heaven to be with Him forever. What should my focus be ? To point others to that way he has made for us to spend eternity with him through his defeat of sin and death at the cross. The joy will be to celebrate him for all of eternity.
Clearly the hardest part of this journey for me is going to be the pain and suffering since I am wimp! So many of you have asked for specific prayer requests, so here are a few: that my bloodwork on Monday shows improvement, that the nausea eases so I can eat and stay hydrated, that the chemo starts working against the cancer and that God gives us wisdom for each step along the way. Thank you for walking this road with me. Your prayers and love mean everything.
With gratitude,
Nancy